Val McDermid has officially reopened the newly revamped CafeLife community cafe on Cheyne Street in Edinburgh’s Stockbridge. Dubbed the Queen of Crime, Val McDermid has sold over 17 million books to date across the globe and is translated into more than 40 languages. Val met with CafeLife customers and fans to sign copies of her books brought along on the day.
CafeLife is run by renowned local charity LifeCare Edinburgh and all proceeds from café sales go towards the organisation’s vital care services for older people living across Edinburgh.
Val McDermid said: “Every community should have a resource like CafeLife. We’re lucky to have it. The LifeCare centre, and all the vital services provided by the charity, help support serious issues such as isolation and loneliness. I’m proud to be supporting LifeCare in its important work”
The pandemic forced the café to close its doors to its loyal sit-in customers in March 2020. The closure was a real loss to Stockbridge and it’s surrounding neighbourhoods as CafeLife is the only fully-accessible community café around, offering good value food and drink appealing to all generations and with lots of space for buggies and wheelchairs.
Opened nearly ten years ago, the team took the opportunity to upgrade the café through the covid-closure. The charity secured emergency funding to revamp CafeLife’s interiors and the kitchen team have spent time creating a new and improved menu to appeal to all tastes and dietary needs.
CaféLife will be running a series of promotions throughout the coming months to celebrate the reopening and to welcome everyone back.
For more information about LifeCare visit lifecare-edinburgh.org.uk and for Val McDermid visit valmcdermid.com
ABOUT LIFECARE
LifeCare Edinburgh was established in 1941 and is a registered charity in Scotland (SC012641). LifeCare has 80 years of experience and expertise in the care of people with dementia, the frail elderly, those with mobility problems, older people in deprivation and socially isolated elderly in Edinburgh. We work with over 1,000 vulnerable older people every single week and have over 90,000 visitors through our centre doors each year.
LifeCare believes in a society where older people are never isolated, lonely or defined by their age alone and our mission is ‘Supporting and empowering older people to live life to the full’. We achieve this through year-round services in the community – Outreach, Help at Home, Meals on Wheels and Vintage Vibes – and within our two centres in Edinburgh hosting three day clubs, a community café and venue.
